These Asian-inspired spicy meatballs have enough of a kick to jump-start your next get-together. But you can also serve firecracker meatballs over rice or Asian noodles for a tasty and quick weekday meal.
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What makes spicy Firecracker Meatballs the perfect appetizer for a crowd?
Most people don't expect Asian flavors when they hear the word "meatballs," but once they try them, they're hooked. The spiced meatballs paired with the creamy sauce offer just enough heat to keep things interesting and create a fusion of flavors.
Pile the Firecracker Meatballs into a chafing dish and let your guests help themselves, or dress the meatballs up and serve them in a more formal setting.
Why you'll love this recipe for Firecracker Meatballs
Firecracker Meatballs are available from a meal delivery service, but you can make enough to feed your whole party for a fraction of the cost. These savory meatballs pack a wallop of flavor in one bite but are still super simple to make.
The freezer-friendly nature of this recipe allows you to make two or three batches at once for meal prep, so you'll always have enough on hand for a great appetizer or weeknight dinner.
Firecracker Meatball recipe ingredients
For the meatballs, you'll need:
- Fresh ginger
- Scallions (or green onion)
- Ground beef
- Egg
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Panko
Dorot frozen minced ginger works well in this recipe.
For the sauce, you'll need:
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Honey
- Soy sauce
- Sriracha sauce
- Korean chili flakes - optional
Korean chili flakes, also called gochugaru, are very common in Korean cooking and bring both heat and flavor to the dish. Use red pepper flakes if you can't find them.
Use low-sodium soy sauce if you are watching your sodium intake.
How to make Firecracker Meatballs
To prepare the sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, honey, soy sauce, and sriracha sauce.
- There is no need to heat the sauce, but you should refrigerate it if you don't plan to serve it immediately.
To prepare the meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Peel the ginger and finely mince. Set aside.
- Wash and slice the scallion. Separate the green and white parts and reserve them for later.
- Crack the egg into a small bowl and season with a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper. Whisk well and keep for later.
- Pour the seasoned egg into the mixing bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, minced ginger, the white part of the scallions, and Panko breadcrumbs.
- Use your fingertips to combine all the ingredients without squeezing the meat.
- At this point, it is a good idea to cover the bowl and chill the mixture in the fridge for about 15 minutes. This will allow the Panko to absorb some of the moisture, but if you are in a rush, you can skip this step.
- Spray a non-stick baking tray with cooking spray.
- Wet your hands and form 1-½-inch balls. Place them on a greased sheet pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven on the top rack for 14-16 minutes. Turn the baking tray halfway through cooking.
To serve Firecracker Meatballs:
- If serving as an appetizer, skewer each meatball with a toothpick, place them on the serving tray, and drizzle with firecracker sauce. Sprinkle with the green part of the scallions and the Korean chili flakes if using.
- If serving as a main course, plate rice or Asian noodles and add a scoop of Firecracker Meatballs on top. Drizzle with the sauce. Sprinkle with the green scallions and the optional Korean chili flakes.
Firecracker Meatball recipe variations
Not into beef? Try swapping the ground beef for ground chicken, ground pork, or ground turkey. You can even use soy protein crumble to make this dish vegetarian.
Watch your cooking times carefully since all these options have less fat than ground beef and can dry out quickly.
What to serve with this recipe for Firecracker Meatballs?
Depending on how you serve the meatballs, you can pair them with other dishes, including:
- Stir-fried greens. The slight bitterness of bok choy, kale, and chard works well with the creamy spice of this dish.
- Lettuce. A great way to make low-carb lettuce wraps.
- Vegetables. Broccoli, green beans, carrots, or cauliflower rice are great veggies.
- Bread. Try serving Firecracker Meatball sliders or use a sliced baguette as a base for a canape.
- Fried Rice. Cut the meatballs in half and add them to your favorite vegetable fried rice recipe.
How to store the leftovers
Transfer the meat to an airtight container. Put any extra sauce in a separate container. Keep both containers in the fridge for up to three days.
For more extended storage, freeze the cooked meatballs on a baking tray and then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. They will keep for up to a month. Thaw the meatballs in the fridge overnight before reheating. The sauce won't freeze well, so you'll need to make it fresh when you reheat the meatballs.
What is the best way to reheat Firecracker Meatballs?
Heat the meatballs in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Put the thawed meatballs on a parchment-lined baking tray and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until hot.
More meatball recipes for game day
Firecracker Meatballs
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions green and white parts separated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg whisked
- ⅓ cup panko
- Korean chili flakes for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- To make the sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well.
- To make the meatballs, combine the ground beef, ginger, white portions of the scallions, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until just combined. Add the egg and panko. Mix until well blended.
- Form the mixture into meatballs about 1 ½ inches in diameters and the place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes.
- Serve the meatballs with sauce drizzled on top and garnish with Korean chili flakes (if desired) and the green portions of the scallions.
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